NINE Saddleworth and Lees schools are joining forces to become Oldham’s first shared Co-operative Trust.

October 1, 2017 marked the establishment of The Dovestone Learning Partnership: A Co-operative Trust.

The schools have already been working work closely together to develop opportunities for children and families in their local area.

This has included plans for school improvement, out-of-school activities, curriculum projects, and developing shared services such as HR support across the partnership.

Following consultation with parents, staff, children, and the community, the governing bodies of Delph Primary, Diggle Primary and Knowsley Junior Schools agreed to strengthen their partnership by setting up a charitable trust and becoming ‘trust’ schools.

Trust schools are state-funded local authority schools supported by a charitable trust.

Parents and carers, staff, pupils and community organisations can become members and contribute to making decisions about how the schools can collaborate together to improve opportunities.

The schools can also invite other organisations to become part of the partnership if they believe they can contribute to their targets and plans for improvement.

The schools said: “Working together as part of the Dovestone Learning Partnership will provide more opportunities for us to work together and make a bigger difference for our children and families.

“Schools cannnot work in isolation and in competition any more. Individually and collectively we have already really benefited from the collaboration and are looking forward to further strengthening our practices.

“It is an exciting time for us all and we want to mark the occasion by celebrating the beginning of this new era for our schools and communities.”